Lowndes ready for emotional Bathurst week
02 Oct 2018
Craig Lowndes is expecting his final Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 appearance as a full-time Supercars driver this weekend to be an emotional experience.
The 44-year-old veteran will race on as a co-driver with Triple Eight in the PIRTEK Enduro Cup next season, but is having his last Bathurst start as a full-time participant.
Much of Lowndes’ legend has been made at Bathurst, starting with a famous second on debut as a 20-year-old in 1994 with the Holden Racing Team.
Carrying the Brock legacy
Lowndes’ popularity with the fan base means his time is in demand more than any other driver at Mount Panorama.
It’s a legacy Lowndes took over from mentor Brock, who taught the then youngster how to master the circuit when they were team-mates at the HRT in 1994.
“The beauty about it for me is I grew up in the same area as Peter Brock,” Lowndes said of following in Brock's footsteps as the fan favourite at Bathurst.
“We went to the same high school, I played AFL football in the same football club; there’s a lot of connections I have with Peter outside of driving.
“But he was a master at this side of it. I’m not shy of talking, I love getting out there, mixing with the fans, talking and relating, and understanding and hearing the stories.
“I think that’s what the fans have embraced. I’m not just a driver that turns up, races a race car and flys home and sits at home all day.
“We get out there and talk, and I’ve always said that the fans are the backbone of motor racing. Hopefully the next generation embraces it the same way.”
Lowndes with Peter Brock's 1972 winning Torana in 2006
Lowndes and 46-year-old Richards are the oldest pairing in the field, which the former insists is no bad thing at Bathurst.
“Experience plays a big part at Bathurst because you want to make sure you’re patient at times,” he said.
“You’ve got to be aggressive at other times, but you just can’t be aggressive all day, because you want to make sure you look after the car and bring it back in one piece.
“I’m looking forward to that closing stages again, the good battle that I’m sure we’ll have with about 20 laps to go.”
